What is it America has failed to hear?

I feel that we must always work
with an effective, powerful weapon and method
that brings about tangible results.
But it is not enough for me
to stand before you tonight and condemn riots.
It would be morally irresponsible for me to do
that without, at the same time,
condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions
that exist in our society.
These conditions are the things that cause individuals
to feel that they have no other alternative
than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention.
And I must say tonight that
a riot is the language of the unheard.
And what is it America has failed to hear?
It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor
has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years.
It has failed to hear that the promises
of freedom and justice have not been met.
And it has failed to hear that large segments
of white society are more concerned about
tranquility and the status quo
than about justice and humanity.

        The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., The Other America
        Speech at Grosse Pointe High School, March 14, 1968